I'd be more than happy to slow down for you. That's what running sisters with good manners do for each others. :-)

PRs: Boston Marathon, 3:27, April 15th 2013

Cornwall Half-Marathon, 1:35, April 27th 2013

18 marathons, 18 BQs since 2010

PragmaticRnnr

Fitness Jogger

posted: 2/5/2013 at 9:31 AM

I carry paper towels and use them as necessary. I'm running through my neighborhood and the last thing I'm going to do is spit or blow my nose on the street where people I see every other day in Yoga class will bring it up. I try to notice who is driving by and wave but, sometimes I don't. They will tell me they saw me out running. If they saw me wiping my nose or even blowing it I'd be fine. Just into my paper towel.

And I do a very good job of checking my 3, 6 and 9 o'clock to make sure I don't spit on or near someone.

I have yet to shit myself. So there is that...

+1, I'll add that one should do a bit of aiming too. If I'm running in the city I'm not going to spit onto a patio.

In the words of my late-coach : Just hang in there, relax... and at the end of a race anyone you see.....just pass them

cmb4314

posted: 2/5/2013 at 10:11 AM

I never spit or snot rocket. I really don't need to spit ever, and my nose rarely has anything rocket-able - it's either fine, or the snot is thin from the cold and a snot rocket wouldn't really help the dripping.

I will admit to passing gas pretty shamelessly. We're outside, there's a breeze, it will diffuse quickly. People behind me are running 8-9 minute miles - it's not like they're going to stand there and linger in it. And, I'd rather let it go than try to hold it in, upset my stomach, and end up three miles down the road trying not to crap myself.

I spit while I run. I blow snot rockets too. Why? Because if I didn't, I'd choke on my own mucous. Running makes me produce more saliva, and it is thicker than when I'm not running. As long as this runner in your group wasn't spitting toward someone, I think you just gotta let her do what she needs to do. You may as well get upset at someone for farting on a run.

Well I never considered myself an "uptight" person and I look upon the issue as "common courtesy". If one is running solo, by all means do whatever you want. In a group, I see as simply being courteous to one's fellow runners. It's a philosophy I try to live my life by..."Do unto others...". Whereas I find the act of spitting vulgar and unsanitary, I don't correlate the act to the person if you get my drift. Most of you have most likely been running far longer than I, but I try to be respectful when running. If I'm passing someone, I will look around before so as not to block anyone behind me. If it's tight, I will announce myself to the runner I'm attempting to pass so they know....Stuff like that.

This same person I mentioned also did something that I was also rather surprised at. As we were on the trail portion, there was a tree branch at shoulder height up ahead. Instead of navigating around the branch she pushed it away and then released it. As the branch snapped back, it whacked another runner in the face. Fortunately the girl was wearing glasses. Bad etiquette on her part IMO.